Geraldo Rivera（講解）：各位觀眾你們好，我是Geraldo Rivera，在我身後就是Michael Jackson出席審判的加州聖瑪利亞的法院。他是過去半個世紀以來最顯赫的藝人，這個引起世界最多爭議的人物正在為他的人生而戰。如果十項騷擾兒童和給兒童灌酒的指控皆被定罪，他將至少在監獄裏呆上20年，從此結束他的事業生涯，並失去他的三個孩子。由於這個案子被法官下達了禁聲令，因此Michael不能在公開場合談論這個案子，但由於最近高度機密的大陪審團證詞被洩露到媒體，在1月18日的聽證會上，法官Rodney Melville特別恩準他公開進行發言，以對不公平的洩露事件進行回應。所以在本次采訪的末尾，Michael將會作出一個關於當前針對他的指控的特別聲明，這是得到了法官的同意的。在經過對這個案子的深入調查研究後，我不需要作出什麼保密，我這個受憲法保護的看法也許不是那麼廣受認同，因為我認為Michael Jackson是完全無罪的。我已經說過很多次了，但並沒有作出系統的解答。但當這個案子開始進行後，我想你們很多人都將同意我的看法。在我們會面麻煩不斷的流行音樂之王之前，先讓我們看看那據說罪行發生的地方。
（鏡頭轉到Neverland）
Rivera：這是Michael Jackson的Neverland牧場，他於1988年創造的夢幻之地，以營造出他自己當代彼得·潘的夢想，但可悲的是，這個地方卻不斷遭到殘酷現實的侵擾。12年前，當流行音樂之王在海外演出時，這片2800英畝的土地被聖芭芭拉當局首度大規模地搜查。自從那以後，聖芭芭拉執法人員就經常突擊進我背後那美麗的大門，有些時候，辯方都說，他們不明白這究竟為何，也許只是為了製造新聞而已。比如說，去年12月對Neverland的第三次大搜查，目的不過是為了取得Michael的DNA樣本。在第二天，他們毫不費力就私下裏得到了DNA樣本。一個律師憤怒地指出，Neverland牧場被搜查的次數比（美軍在）巴基斯坦、阿富汗的邊境的搜查還頻繁。Neverland是一個獨特的人所建造的，他希望在此實現一個純潔理想國的夢想。但多年來，它卻被不斷地蹂躪，並被各種指控、謠言和影射所環繞。但當前案件卻讓Michael確定的知道了一件事：地方檢察官將讓所有孩子遠離那些誘惑，比如雕像、游樂設施、和各種動物。這個據說是兒童陷阱的地方，多年來卻已歡迎了成千上萬的純潔的兒童們的到來，並沒有發生過任何意外。只要你到這個地方看看，純真還是邪惡，你就自會分辨。
這是我1月19日在錄音室裏觀看Michael他們工作的情景，讓我們從這裏開始吧。
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Geraldo Rivera：那麼現在你還好嗎？
Michael Jackson：我現在很好，Geraldo，你好嗎？
Rivera：盡管世界上發生了這麼多事，但你依然還好？
Jackson：我很好，謝謝你。
Rivera：看到你和孩子們在一起真好，我想這才是真正的Michael Jackson。你帶著你的孩子，一個還在繈褓之中，另外兩個也剛剛初長成人，我不知道沒有保姆的情況下，你怎麼能處置好這一切的。
Jackson：我喜歡自己照顧我的孩子。這很有意思，這就是為什麼我總是帶著他們，這樣也讓我能照顧好他們。對我來說，是一個很大的安慰，很大的快樂。這讓我高興，讓我歡笑……他們是可愛的、甜美的、純真的孩子，他們真的是。
Rivera：我看見你還為他們爭看Nickelodeon兒童頻道和迪士尼頻道而當上了調解人。看來總是有要解決的難題。
Jackson：是的。
Rivera：但你擁有如此一個正常的生活。看見這樣真好。
Jackson：謝謝你。是他們帶給我歡樂的。
Rivera：告訴我孩子們對你意味著什麼？我是說你自己的孩子。
Jackson：用言語很難表達。他們意味著一切。他們就是我的整個世界。我一醒來，就因為他們而準備好了新的一天。我喂他們吃早餐，我給他們換尿布。他們想讀書，我們就一起讀了很多書。我們還玩捉迷藏。和他們在一起，我總是很快樂。
Rivera：你可以創造一個至少開始看上去很正常的世界。但他們很明顯不瞭解其他的世界。
Jackson：我肯定已經盡力了。
Rivera：這對你來說絕對是優先考慮的事咯？
Jackson：是的，當然，我想做世界上最好的父親，當然是這樣。
Rivera：他們明白你是誰，明白你對人們意味著什麼嗎？
Jackson：是的，他們知道。他們和我一起旅行過。我們坐在車裏，看到了人山人海的歌迷。
Rivera：他們喜歡這樣嗎？
Jackson：他們覺得很興奮。他們想要走上舞臺。他們黏著我要跟我上舞臺去。很快我就會帶著他們和我一起上舞臺的，那時全世界就可以首次看到他們的樣貌。
Rivera：那時他們卻可能會說，“爸爸，我想回家看Nickelodeon兒童節目。”
Jackson：（笑）很有可能。
（鏡頭轉向錄音室，Michael他們正在錄制歌曲，旋律是“Beautiful Girl”，鏡頭轉回）
Rivera：再次回到錄音室，再次專注於音樂的感覺怎麼樣？是種解脫嗎？
Jackson：是很大的解脫。因為這就是我的工作。這讓我感覺完全在家裏一樣。我沉醉於其中。這就是我存在的意義。任何像那樣的藝術，電影、音樂，任何藝術，我都喜歡。
Rivera：當你成為流行音樂之王時，那是你最安逸的時刻，還是你最具創造性的過程？
Jackson：是最具創造性的過程。是的，我愛創作。我迷戀著創作。
Rivera：我看見過你和Randy相處時的情形，這讓我想起了我和我弟弟在一起的日子。你們誰說了算呢？
Jackson：（笑）Randy。
Rivera：（笑）那我沒看出來哦。那你信任你的家庭嗎？
Jackson：當然，你必須信任。
Rivera：是血濃于水嗎？
Jackson：是的，家庭對我們來說就是一切。是愛。是我們的學堂。是我們的價值觀。我們到死也是最親的朋友，這是很重要的。這比公眾或報紙說我們是朋友更重要。我們非常互愛著對方。
Rivera：無論小報怎麼說，家庭依然是聯系緊密的嗎？
Jackson：那些小報都是嘩眾取寵。
Rivera：你怎麼對付那些你生活中被誇大的事實呢？
Jackson：那些都不是真的，就像科幻小說一樣。我瞭解我自己。很遺憾其他人居然被迫讀到它們，並相信了。
Rivera：你就得每週開一次新聞發布會，說那些都是謠言，都不是真的。
Jackson：不用。因為我知道真相會贏得最終的勝利，而我說的就是真相。
Rivera：在我的調查研究中，我找不出任何一個人像你這樣被各種最不可容忍的理由輕易地指控或起訴。
(音樂響起，播放Billie Jean音樂錄影)
Rivera：你的一個律師告訴我說，有一個叫Billie Jean Jackson的女人打電話來說，“我要收支票，我是你妻子，你歌曲裏的Billie Jean。”首先，這影響到你了嗎？這樣的事情。
Jackson：它影響到我了嗎？
Rivera：是的。
Jackson：是的，有影響。但我有免疫力了。我很堅強，我練就了一身犀牛皮。但我也是一個人，任何那樣的東西也會傷害到我的。但我很堅強。我只是不想人們聽到那樣的錯誤信息。
Rivera：比如說，去年你是否成為了四胞胎的父親？
Jackson：是個有創造性的謠言。
Rivera：後來變成雙胞胎了，我不知道另外兩個孩子怎麼樣了，也許被外星人綁架走了。
Jackson：（笑）我聽過這個故事。不，我沒有什麼雙胞胎。他們說我把他們藏起來了之類的話。其實只是又一則憑空編造的謠言。
Rivera：所以完全是假的。
Jackson：是的，你的星光越閃耀，你就越是靶子。我不是說我是超超級巨星，我不是說這個。我是說事實是人們喜歡針對名人，我們就是靶子。但真相總會取得最後勝利的。我堅信如此，我堅信上帝。
Rivera：這種信念支撐著你嗎？
Jackson：當然。
Rivera：那麼友誼呢？
Jackson：關于友誼什麼？
Rivera：你依靠朋友嗎？有人風風雨雨都和你一同走過嗎？誰是你最好的朋友？
Jackson：我的孩子們。我的家庭。我的兄弟姐妹。很多人都是我的朋友。
Rivera：你想提及一些最真誠的朋友的名字嗎？
Jackson：有一些忠誠的人，你不認識。
Rivera：伊麗莎白·泰勒？
Jackson：她非常的忠誠。我常常去看望伊麗莎白，她是我最親的朋友。我剛才還在她家裏。晚上我們也常常通話。有時一周要通話好幾次。
Rivera：你們兩人是多久的朋友了？
Jackson：我16歲時就認識伊麗莎白了。
Rivera：而你5歲開始就在做音樂了。這是你第5個十年，你做了41年的音樂了。
Jackson：是的。
Rivera：從來沒有厭倦過嗎？
Jackson：不，完全沒有，我總是感覺沒做夠。
Rivera：真的嗎？你有厭倦過Randy嗎？
Jackson：（笑）沒有。永遠不會，永遠不會。他很棒，他很支持我。他非常有才華，真的。
Rivera：你家裏的人都各不相同。是瘋狂，古怪的嗎？
Jackson：每個人都是不相同的。任何一個家庭，你都會看到不同的元素。也正是這造就了一個家庭。
Rivera：當你被媒體高度關注的時候，你怎麼過一種正常的生活呢？你怎麼能在你的家門外高興玩樂呢？
Jackson：我沒能做到。我有時離開家，但不是總在外面。我在我的家門後建造了一個世界。我不能去當地的電影院或公園，也不能在超市上或小店裏買冰激淩。你只得在門後建造這樣一個世界。這就是我試圖去實現的。不只是為我，我願意和我的家庭與朋友分享。真的。
Rivera：而這樣對隱私的需求，卻促進了所有的那些瘋狂謠言和猜測的滋生。這是一個你必須忍耐的艱難平衡之舉吧？
Jackson：是的，這部分是名氣導致的。
Rivera：你不會抱怨，對吧？
Jackson：不會的。
Rivera：我不會的，我會試圖擺脫。但我不知道我算什麼什麼之王。（笑）
Jackson：（笑）記者之王。
Rivera： 那麼關於那些痛苦中的兒童呢？你幫助他們的善舉是你的父愛所致嗎？
Jackson：關懷，並閱讀聖經。學到關於上帝、耶穌和愛的一切。耶穌說過，學習孩子、效仿孩子，像孩子一樣。關心他們，關心老人。我們就是在這樣的價值觀下成長的，這是我和我家庭信奉的非常重要的價值觀，並會繼續深遠地影響著今天的我們。
（Rivera：我們稍後回來，Jackson將談到他和他的兄弟樂隊重組的故事）
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（Jermaine Jackson：我們是
一家人。那就是我們。我的母親很堅強，我的父親很堅強。我們團結在一起就更強大。我們不知道，從那不起眼的開始，成功將會給我們帶來這一切）
Rivera：（講解）從O.J.辛普森案件到克林頓彈劾案，我在每個大案上都會有一個堅定而公開的立場。但沒有任何案件能像Jackson案這樣產生這麼多負面的關注。昨天晚上我和同事Jay Leno交換了看法，以在今晚節目播出前想出為什麼這麼些年來我們每一個人對Michael Jackson都形成了一種無法去除的印象，從他的整容到皮膚顏色改變，以及一些被認為的公開或私人的怪行。正如我昨天晚上對我朋友Jay Leno說的那樣，所有這些都與Michael Jackson是否猥褻了男童無關。Jackson在一次簡短的對話中告訴我說，當他打贏這場官司後，他將繼續在職業生涯裏做些什麼。
Rivera：你自己的電影呢？我們已經很久沒有在大銀幕上看到你了。
（播放70年代MJ電影《新綠野仙蹤》片段）
Jackson：那是因為，我將要親自進行導演。我喜歡執導，我喜歡創造。我想，當一個藝術家拿著自己的藝術作品出來時，如果他想表達出自己，就要用他的想法來製作。我感覺到了，我看到了。我是個夢想家，如果我能想到，我就會去付諸實施。我喜歡這樣去做音樂、電影和舞蹈。我熱愛藝術。
Rivera：那麼你認為在現實生活中藝術也扮演著重要角色嗎？尤其是你在做一首為了海嘯災民的慈善歌曲。
Jackson：是的。
Rivera： 你為海嘯災民製作了這首歌曲，告訴我你什麼時候意識到這個災難是非同尋常的。
Jackson：我在聖誕節後的第二天就知道了。看著死亡人數不斷攀升，這一切簡直變得太嚴重了。我都不敢相信那是真的。我非常吃驚。我想我得做點什麼，上帝給了我們天賦，讓我們去奉獻，去幫助他人。於是我和我的兄弟就決定錄制一首歌曲。
（畫面轉到錄音室，Michael和兄弟們正在錄制歌曲）
Rivera：你就拿起電話說，“嘿，兄弟們，讓我們一起來做首曲子吧。”
Jackson：是的，是的。Randy和我打電話過去說，“嘿，我們想在錄音室裏為海嘯災民錄制一首歌曲，我們一起來做吧。”他們都說，“很好啊，我們一起來。”於是就組織起來了。
Rivera：無論你怎麼回歸，人們都會為你的回歸而歡呼。你會因為全神貫注在你的藝術和孩子們的世界中而筋疲力盡嗎？
Jackson：我喜歡那個世界。這驅動著我。是媒介。是藝術。我喜愛這樣。在那個世界裏，我感到非常舒適。
（畫面轉向Jackson小時候表演的情景）
Rivera：還在印第安那州加里市的時候，你是否想過自己成為46歲男人時的樣子？
Jackson：我真的從來沒有想過。從來沒有。我只知道我要在我生命中做一些精彩的事情，並去幫助別人。但在我還非常小的時候，我從來沒有仔細想過。我只是歌唱、舞蹈，但並不明白人們為什麼喝彩為什麼鼓掌為什麼尖叫。我不知道原因。
Rivera：當你像這樣在舞臺上長大後，你什麼時候才明白你在社會中的位置？
Jackson：我想在長大後，得花很長的時間去明白，因為你開始擁有更加健全的人格。你的頭腦開始成長，你開始思考和明白更多的事情，你還會去做研究。我就是這樣。
Rivera：在電視上讓人們看到你正常理智的談話，是不是感覺很好啊？
Jackson：我一直喜愛這樣。我只是在表現真我。上帝保佑你。謝謝。
Rivera：在某些方面，Michael Jackson和其他Jackson兄弟們，在藝術領悟上有所不同。是在這個時候你們重歸一起的嗎？（畫面轉到MJ 30周年獨唱生涯紀念晚會）你們有什麼大計劃，大設想嗎？在你生命的舞臺上，還有什麼沒有成就的？你還想做到一些什麼？
Jackson：還有很多驚奇。我想拍攝電影。我愛電影。
Rivera：還有嗎？
Jackson：啊，我是說不只是電影那麼簡單，而是要革新，要做先鋒者。把這個傳播媒體帶向一個新的高度。
(播放“You Rock My World”的音樂錄影)
Rivera：你不是在說音樂錄影吧？
Jackson：不是，不是。因為我已經把音樂錄影做成了短篇電影，把這種媒介帶到了另外一個層次上去。我很開心。你知道。
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Rivera（講解）：歡迎回來，這一節采訪將從Michael Jackson在當今音樂世界裏的價值說起。
（播放“Thriller”音樂錄影）
Rivera：你是否曾經回憶並感嘆說，“我的上帝，《Thriller》是歷史上銷量最高的唱片。”你為它自豪嗎？
Jackson：我有時會想到它。但我盡量不去仔細想它。因為我不想要我下意識地去想到，“你已經成就了一切”，“你成功了”。這就不好了。這就是為什麼我從來不把獎杯擺在我房子裏的原因。你在我房子裏找不到一張金唱片。因為這會讓你太有成就感，說，“哦，看看我做到了什麼吧”。我卻只是想感覺到，“不，我還沒有做到。”
Rivera：流行音樂之王，現在我看到其他藝人，如50 Cent等，他們是因為倖存下來而知名於世的，你知道，他們在暴力沖突中差點沒命。他們如今在做的是嘻哈音樂，你看這是流行音樂的一個完全不同的新時代了。你覺得你會和他們一樣，跟著做更多的都市音樂，還是回歸本源，做那些傳統的流行和搖滾音樂？
Jackson：偉大的音樂和偉大的旋律是不朽的。潮流總是在變、文化總是在變、服裝總是在變，但偉大的音樂卻是永恆不變。我們依然在聽莫札特，在聽柴可夫斯基，在聽所有偉大的音樂。就像那些偉大的雕塑和繪畫一樣，是永恆的。一代又一代的人會永遠地欣賞它們。我知道這是事實。
Rivera：我采訪過芭芭拉史翠珊，她說她要在事業生涯裏和其他藝人合作，比如Bee Gees，她能改變自己來給人們驚喜。你會考慮做點嘻哈音樂嗎？
Jackson：我想我已經做了不少這樣的音樂了。
Rivera：說唱呢？你打算做說唱樂嗎？
Jackson：我不會去唱說唱，但我能說唱。我給一些非常有名的說唱歌手都寫過歌詞。但他們比我更在行，所以我不會去和他們競爭。
Rivera：你是否感激……盡管你過著隱居的生活，盡管你也當了很久的明星，你卻依然能與社區保持一種深厚而熱情的關系？
(畫面：Jackson在家歡迎孩子們來Neverland遊玩，孩子歡呼著說“謝謝”)
Rivera：這支持著你嗎？這支撐著你嗎？你同意我的看法嗎？
Jackson：是的，我當然同意。熱愛你的鄰居非常重要。
Rivera：來源是哪兒呢？你的那些出自本能的愛意是來源於哪里呢？你怎麼認為的？
Jackson：我真的認為這來自於我的母親和……上帝。這是我們的價值觀。父親在我們很小的時候就教我們。母親也會拿著聖經教導我們。我們經常去教堂服務，一週四次。我很高興我們曾經那樣做過。這樣的價值觀是很重要的。我不知道沒有它們我會成就些什麼。
Rivera：你現在依然會和父母呆在一起嗎？
Jackson：是的。
Rivera：關系怎麼樣？我就和我媽媽很親近，真的。
Jackson：關系很好。在我們生活的現階段，你將會去感激你的父母為你所做過的一切。你會收回和回想一切。在你的生活中，他們給你帶來了很多美好的東西，你會看到他們因為你的生活和成果而驕傲。我從我的身上看到了我父母帶給我的影響。真的很讓人驚訝。
Rivera：我的一個朋友曾說過，當他老了以後，他在鏡子裏看到了他父親的樣貌。你也這樣感覺嗎？你也開始變得和你父親很像了嗎？
Jackson：在很多方面我都很像我的父親。
Rivera：說給我們聽聽。
Jackson：他非常堅強。他是個戰士。他經常教導我們要勇敢和自信，要堅信我們的理想。不管如何，夢想並非遙不可及。你永遠不能放棄。我們母親也很好地教導過我們。
Rivera：那麼現在你也是一名戰士了？
Jackson：絕對如此。
Rivera：你就是這樣看待自己的？
Jackson：絕對如此。
Rivera： 多告訴我們一點你怎麼樣看待自己的。
Jackson：我怎麼看待自己的？我盡量對人們友善、慷慨，去做我認為上帝要我去做的事情。有時候我會祈禱說，上帝啊，你下一步要我去做什麼？你想要我去到何方？我在精神上一直如此。沒有新鮮的變動。
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Rivera：我現在和Michael Jackson的發言人Raymone Bain一起。你好，Raymone，第一周上法庭的情況怎麼樣？
Raymone Bain：你好，Geraldo。一切都很好。對我們來說，是漫長而疲憊的一周。但我們今天都笑了，因為這才是第一周，我們就有點累了。但我認為，第一周度過得很好。
Rivera：能告訴我為什麼週一的陪審團選舉被推遲了呢？
Bain：很遺憾的是，我們的辯護大律師Tom Mesereau的姐姐病危，他得花時間去陪伴他的家人。我們也希望在此為Tom祈禱。他是一個很好的人。
Rivera：那麼開庭日改到了週四？
Bain： 是的，週四。
Rivera：Michael現在怎麼樣？
Bain：Michael很好，這是繁忙的一周。但他非常專注，非常莊重。看起來很多人對此表示了驚訝。
Rivera：那他有多專注呢？
Bain：是的，這都有時讓我吃驚了。因為我想人們一般會相信他們讀到的東西，因此有了錯誤的概念。他現在正處理著事務，並和他的律師很好的交流。
Rivera：我想他應該這樣。
（Rivera：下一節，我們將講到Michael和Neverland）
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Rivera：5歲就登上了舞臺，12歲就成為了全球著名巨星，Michael Jackson擁有著演藝歷史上最驚人的事業生涯。他在商業上的成就堪與法蘭克·辛納特拉、“貓王”普萊斯利、披頭四樂隊媲美。他的專輯《Thriller》贏得了7項格萊美獎，在其發行的15年後，依然能每年賣出100萬張。但在他事業生涯的巔峰，不斷的法律麻煩總是讓他逃避。隔絕著自己。他隱居在Neverland裏，卻使得他更容易遭到攻擊。他讓我們遊歷了他的房子。這是一個端莊的地方。一個為孩子們而修建的地方。
Rivera：或許Jackson最大的問題就在於他把自己想像成了當代的彼得·潘，這對於一個被那些有虐待行為的牧師、教師和童子軍領袖所傷害過的社會來說，是不能接受的。所有這一節采訪我們將談到“Neverland”的原創人。
（電影《尋訪Neverland》片段播出）
Rivera：你看過電影《尋訪Neverland》了嗎？或者讀過關於《小飛俠彼得·潘》原作者James Barrie的故事嗎？
Jackson：我讀過很多關於他的東西。我非常欣賞Barrie先生的作品，我是他很多年很多年的書迷了。
Rivera：他也和你一樣，一生坎坷。我不想就此談到更多。那麼告訴我，是什麼創造了Neverland呢？有三個這樣的地方，彼得·潘的Neverland、Michael Jackson腦子裏的Neverland，還有你這片真正的Neverland。我們看到你帶著好多純真的孩子在裏面遊玩。為什麼你要創建一個這樣的地方呢？
Jackson：我把Neverland建成了我自己和我孩子的家。它簡簡單單就被創造出來了，如同下意識一樣。就如我以前說的那樣，我還能去哪？太難了。我曾試著自己出門去，但員警會告訴我“喬裝打扮一下，再給我老婆簽個名”。他們會問，“你怎麼能這樣在沒有保安的情況下呆在這裏，到處可都是歌迷啊。”我沒辦法，我有時會這麼做，但太難了。
Rivera：但你在你的孩子出生之前你就建好了Neverland啊。那些各種各樣的動物呢，是不是為你Michael Jackson準備的？
Jackson：是為我準備的，我也會和他人分享。這給了我機會去做以前我小時侯沒有機會去做的事情，我們當時沒法去電影院，沒法去迪士尼樂園。我們沒能去做所有那些好玩的事情。我們都在巡演之中。我們工作很辛苦。我們當時也很享受巡演的過程。但這讓我想要擁有一片屬於自己的天地，在大門之後，我所熱愛的一切都盡在眼底。
Rivera：你就像Barrie一樣創造出了一個幻想的世界。你是否曾對某些事情失去過興趣，Michael？你是否認為養駱駝、或建造小火車是愚蠢的想法呢？
Jackson：不，如果你這麼說，你就是在說上帝是愚蠢的。因為上帝創造了偉大和渺小。所以那種說法是錯的。其他人靠購買法拉利車、買私人飛機、買直升機獲得滿足，而我的滿足則是奉獻和分享，並享受那最單純的快樂。
Rivera：你的家，Neverland是一個華麗而謙卑的地方。但我們沒有看到有任何耀眼個人風尚在裏面，比如，你並沒有一顆上面刻著“Michael”名字的大鉆石。
Jackson：因為我就是那樣的謙卑。如果我戴著那樣的東西，我會把它送給任何一個首先跑到我面前說，‘喔，我喜歡項鏈’的孩子。當我還是小孩子的時候，像Sammy Davis、Fred Astaire、Gene Kelley這些明星，如果我對他們說我喜歡他們穿戴的東西，如果我只說了一聲，“我的上帝，我喜歡你穿的襯衫”，他們都會把它給我。我就是被這樣教導的。這是娛樂界的習俗。要傳遞下去。
Rivera：盡管媒體對你帶孩子們到家裏玩耍高度關注，頻加指責，但為什麼你要那麼做。我那天就想問你，現在我在這裏問吧，你會什麼時候見那些孩子，到底一切怎麼回事？
Jackson：因為我想我遊歷了整個世界8次，拜訪了很多醫院和孤兒院，當然那些事件都沒怎麼被報導過，因為那是我發自內心去做的。有很多城市裏的孩子們沒有見過高山，沒有玩過旋轉木馬，沒有寵物馬或駱駝。所以只要我打開我的大門，我就能看見最大的極樂。孩子們爆發出驚叫和歡笑，在Neverland裏盡情玩耍。我那時就說，感謝上帝，我仿佛覺得自己贏得了上帝贊許的微笑，因為我能給其他人帶來如此的快樂和幸福。
Rivera：你和你的同胞兄弟姐妹們很親近吧？
Jackson：是啊。
Rivera：那他們都捲入進Janet的超級碗杯風波時，對你有怎樣的影響？
Jackson：我不能代表我妹妹說話。
Rivera：那麼你說說作為一個哥哥和電視觀眾，你怎麼回應那個事件呢？
Jackson：我當時正在看那場表演，但我什麼都沒看到。我當時在一個朋友的家裏，在一個超大螢幕上看的，但我竟然什麼都沒看到。第二天我就聽到了所有的爭議。但我說那不是真的，我什麼都沒看到。
Rivera：那你認為這個爭議事件是過火了嗎？
Jackson：是的。
Rivera： 你認為這是有關於Jackson的現象嗎？或者這是對我國當前社會的一次考驗？
Jackson：這是一個很有意思的假設。兩者都是吧。很難回答。我寧願不回答這個問題。
Rivera：你給她打電話說別在意這種小事了嗎？
Jackson：是的，我說了一些那樣的話。一定要堅強。這一切都會過去的。別擔心。我說，“Janet，當你還太小不怎麼記得的時候，我有一次卻在David Niven主持的奧斯卡上看到了一個全身一絲不掛的人在臺上裸跑，他自己根本上不了臺，那都是組織好了的。沒人對那個事件說什麼，而且那是全球直播。第二天就看到一些笑話而已。
Rivera：是只有一些笑話而已。我想還是由於Jackson因素在其中。
Jackson：你可以這麼說。你不是說了嗎？
Rivera：是的，我認為跟Jackson相關的一切都會被誇大其辭。
Jackson：謝謝你，Geraldo。
Rivera：那你們錄制好慈善唱片後會做什麼呢？我們將會看到什麼呢？是不是可以在電臺裏聽到？人們是不是要捐錢來幫助那些印度洋海嘯地區受災的兒童？
Jackson：我非常希望這樣，非常希望。
Rivera：告訴我慷慨和慈善之舉給了你怎樣的感覺？我認為奉獻比獲取更重要。我認為這是真的。在我的生命中。
Jackson：當然是真的。
Rivera：能解釋一下在你的生活中是怎麼樣的嗎？
Jackson：我想這是一種觀念。我不知道是不是跟心理學有關，但我喜歡工作、喜歡流汗、喜歡分享、喜歡讓他人快樂。我也一直祈禱他們能喜歡。作為一個藝人，這給了我最大的滿足。
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Rivera：我們再來采訪Michael Jackson的發言人Raymone。你認為為什麼人們願意去相信關于你們老闆最壞的故事呢？
Bain：噢，我不能表示同意。他們對那些最可怕的事情全部一概而信。但我每接到一封憤怒或惡意的郵件時，我總能同時接到40-50封表達支持的郵件。我想這跟那些無中生有大量編造的關於我們的故事有關。我們不能作出反擊，因為我們被嚴厲的禁聲令所限制。
Rivera：舉個例子？
Bain：比如洩露事件吧。就是大陪審團證詞。我的意思是他必須得去法庭向法官要來批準。但還有很多其他事情。比如“確鑿證據”網站每週都能發布很多東西，但我們不能就此發表聲明。但他們卻天天更新。我想人們有時候，我不是說他們想要去相信，但我想他們只是厭倦了，他們說好吧，既然我們天天都聽著這麼說，那麼肯定還是有點真相在裏面的。但還有很多事情我們沒能去做澄清，它們全部是謠言。我要向Michael脫帽致敬，因為我的天啦，我們去年才僅僅對很少的事情做出了澄清。正如我所說的，當我們用政治術語來說的話，支持Michael的人都是沉默的大多數。我認為整體來說，他的支持者比他的反對者多得多了。但也正如我所說的，我們還沒能來得及在那些謠言出來之前就阻止掉它們。
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Rivera：在Michael近些年來遭受的所有不平中，另外一個對他影響深刻的事件就是說唱歌手Eminem對他的惡搞。
Rivera：不論是他的寵物猴子還是他拍攝百事可樂廣告時被火燒傷，Michael Jackson的這些事件在上百種語言中都演變成為了數百萬個笑話。但沒有誰能像說唱歌手Eminem傷害得這麼厲害的。Michael將會對此發表看法，他還會談到關於把他定義為一個曾有創造力的過氣人物的說法。
Rivera：當人們說Jackson的計劃失敗了出事了等等的時候，是否讓你在事業上和個人感情上有挫敗感呢？你的《Number Ones》專輯已經賣出了750萬張。我想這已經是多白金銷量了。但音樂業界內依然有人會說，你不是過去那樣了——專輯也不很成功。你對此有什麼感覺？
Jackson：“Number One”？我不知道你說的哪個項目。
Rivera：我說的是你的精選輯，《Number Ones》。
Jackson：哦，那張唱片非常成功。
Rivera：750萬張的銷量。
Jackson：是的。
Rivera：但為什麼沒有頭條新聞寫道：“巨大的成功”呢？
Jackson：應該這樣。
Rivera： 但為什麼沒有呢？
Jackson：因為壞消息，負面新聞比那些好消息、正面消息賣得更好。人們寧願聽那些閑話，更甚於去聽真相。我發表過的八張專輯都拿到了排行榜冠軍。人們就是喜歡聳人聽聞地製造新聞，編造故事、謠言，……
Rivera：這傷害到你的感情了嗎？你是否想大叫出來，說，“嘿，等一等，先去查查數據吧？”
Jackson：人類有一種共性是我不喜歡的。那就是某種形式的嫉妒。但人類也有很多美好的方面，不是嗎？
Rivera：除了Eminem。
Jackson：(笑)
Rivera：我們曾經談過，我認為你應該的。為什麼不呢？
Jackson：談過什麼？
Rivera：談過Eminem對你的不敬。
（播放Eminem“Just Lose It”的音樂錄影片段）
Rivera：Stevie Wonder曾說過他對像Eminem這樣的靠著黑人社區起家賺錢，反過頭來卻用種族主義的語言來粗魯回報社區的人感到非常惡心。我也說過這樣的人是厚顏無恥、冥頑不化的。告訴我們你受了多大的傷害，以及你現在對這件事情的感覺如何？
Jackson：我從未見過Eminem先生。我也一直尊敬他，但他做出那樣的事情，是非常讓人痛苦的。一個藝人針對另外一個藝人。非常讓人悲哀，因為，我認為Stevie Wonder說得沒錯，我不想再多說什麼。但他應該為他所做的一切感到羞愧。Stevie說他就是坨狗屎。
Rivera：Stevie說的。
Jackson：他用了那個詞。
Rivera：他是狗屎。
Jackson：我沒有這麼說，是Stevie說的。Stevie真是很棒。他是世界上最好的人之一。你知道的。
Rivera：當Stevie這樣說了後，你是否感覺對兄弟之愛放心了呢？
Jackson：是的，我愛Stevie Wonder。對我來說，他就是一個音樂先知。我一直都熱愛著他。很多人都尊敬Stevie，他是媒體和演藝界中堅強的典範。當他說話的時候，人們都會傾聽。Eminem這樣做是錯誤的。我當了一輩子的藝術家，做好了我的份內之事。我沒有攻擊過任何同行。偉大的藝人都不這樣做。你不需要這麼做。
Rivera：我要提及Janet事件，你知道，有很多誇大其辭和渲染。所以再一次的，你是否認為Eminem那樣做是因為他覺得他僥幸借此成功，並逃過懲罰？因為你是Michael Jackson。
Jackson：是的，但那不傷人。真的，那是愚蠢的，幼稚的。希望他玩得開心。
Rivera：就像個屎尿笑話一樣。
Jackson：是的。
Rivera：但它還是畢竟傷到了你的感情。你不會讓你的孩子們看到吧？
Jackson：上帝啊，如果他們看到了，我會很不喜歡的。我討厭那樣。
Rivera：你想讓他們知道這個事情嗎？
Jackson：讓他們知道這個事情？不會。
Rivera（講解）：以下便是Michael Jackson在陪審團選舉之際，要針對那些指控和大陪審團證詞洩露事件發表的聲明。
Rivera：最後，你知道我們是在刻意地回避這個案子。我們還沒有談到擺在你面前的這個案子。你現在被禁聲令限制了發言。但我知道你得到了法官的許可，可以在此讀一段聲明。
Jackson：是的。
Rivera：你知道我不喜歡這樣來結束一個采訪，但如果你願意閱讀這份聲明，那就讀吧，因為我想這是很重要的。
Jackson：當然。在過去兩周裏，大量關於我的醜陋而惡毒的資訊已經在媒體上廣為傳播。很明顯，那些洩露的資訊來自於大陪審團的證詞筆錄，但該法律程式是沒有我律師和我自己親自參加的控方單邊行動。那些資訊是惡心而不實的。多年前，我允許了這個家庭拜訪並呆在了Neverland。Neverland是我的家。我之所以允許這個家庭走入我的家裏，是因為他們告訴我說他們的兒子患了癌癥，需要我的幫助。而這麼多年來，我已經幫助過了數以千計的患病兒童和貧困兒童。這一切給我的家庭、我的孩子和我帶來了巨大的噩夢。我再也不會把我自己放在這麼一個易受攻擊的位置上了。我愛我的社區，我也對我們的法律體系有著巨大的信心。請保持開放的觀點，並讓我走上法庭接受審判。我應當如所有美國公民一樣得到公正的審判。只要真相能被道明，我就會被證無罪、洗脫冤屈。
Rivera：你還想說什麼呢？
Jackson：沒有了……是的，還有句話。我希望大家為我和我的孩子們祈禱。
Rivera：謝謝你，夥計。你會得到祈禱的。
Jackson：謝謝你。
--------------------------------
Rivera：現在Michael Jackson的發言人Raymone Bain將做最後的評論。
Bain：Geraldo，讓我這麼說吧，Michael Jackson是個很好的人。在審訊期間，他對他的律師有很大的信心，他擁有全家人的愛意。他堅持自己的清白。我想在此向民眾呼籲，在讀過任何新聞之後，先多想兩遍看看，再判定是否可信。
Rivera：我也來說幾點：現在指控Michael Jackson的家庭之前曾經告訴過很多調查員說Michael Jackson沒有幹過任何壞事；同時他們在報警之前卻和很多的律師先取得了聯系，其中一個律師更是在多年前幫助另外一個家庭從Jackson那裏拿到了千萬和解金的律師；而所有據說的罪行都是據說發生在引起世界廣泛爭議的記錄片播出以後。還有很多證據讓我得出了這樣的結論：Michael Jackson是被陷害的。Michael Jackson已經在聲明中表示他不會再把自己擺到一個易受攻擊的位置上，也不會再和小男孩一起過夜。換句話說，Michael明白那樣的行為無論多麼純潔，都卻是這個社會所不能接受的，在這個殘酷的世界上，沒有彼得·潘。我希望各位觀眾關注福克斯新聞頻道，我們會對審判進行公正公平的報道。希望大家保持開放的觀點，傾聽證據來說話。當你們聽到證據的時候，問問你們自己，是不是足夠把你們說服了，是不是有合理的懷疑而不能給這個人定罪。我認為Michael Jackson會最終洗脫冤屈，被證清白。Raymone，我也希望，在那之後，他能重新開始音樂之旅，那能給予全世界無數人以歡樂。我知道全家人都在為那一天而祈禱。我們也會希望看到那一天。
Bain：是的，我知道有很多很多人都希望他們能重新回到舞臺上。因為他太卓越了，沒有任何藝人比得上Michael Jackson。他讓自己成為了經典。
Rivera：我們期待他的海嘯賑災唱片盡快發行。希望它和《We Are The World》一樣。我們也希望看到他們兄弟能重新聚首，開始新的世界巡演。Raymone Bain，Michael Jackson的發言人，非常感謝你。
Bain：也謝謝你讓我上你的節目。
Rivera：各位晚安，謝謝觀看！
At Large with Geraldo - 2005 (Geraldo Rivera)
Geraldo: How you doing, man?
Michael: How you doing?
Geraldo: Good to see you. You get to smile anymore?
Michael: Of course, I smile a lot.
Geraldo: You smile when you’re in a recording studio like this one, doing music?
Michael: Of course, I love music.
Geraldo: Is it nice to get back to the music?
Michael: It’s fantastic. Because ahhh… It’s my life. That’s what I do.
Geraldo: You’ve been so distracted, you know, you want to talk about how you’re feeling?
Michael: I’m doing fine Geraldo, how are you?
Geraldo: Despite whatever else goes on in the world, you’re doing ok?
Michael: I’m doing very well, thank you.
Geraldo: You know, it was wonderful, seeing you with the children. That I think, is the real Michael Jackson that has not been seen… you with your own children, one in diapers the other two toddlers… I don’t know how you manage without a nanny.
Michael: Well, I enjoy taking care of my children myself it’s… it’s fun that’s why I had them so I could take care of them and it’s just great relief for me you know it’s a pleasure it keeps me happy and laughing and you know, they’re wonderful sweet innocent children.
Geraldo: I saw you as kind of the arbitrator between the ‘Nickelodeon’ and the ‘Disney Channel’ there. You got some really difficult problems to solve there. But you have such a- a kind of a normal life there. It’s sweet to see.
Michael: Thank you. They bring me that.
Geraldo: Tell me, tell me what the children mean to you, your own children.
Michael: They mean, it’s hard to put it into words because they mean everything. The way you would explain how your children make you feel… They’re the world for me, I wake up and I’m ready for the day because of them. I get them breakfast, I change diapers, if they want to read, we do a lot of reading, we play hide and seek, we play blind fold and have a wonderful time with it.
Geraldo: And you can create a world that at least begins to seem normal? They don’t know any other world obviously.
Michael: I do my best for sure.
Geraldo: So, that is obviously a priority to you
Michael: Yes of course. I want to be the best father in the world of course.
Geraldo: Do they know who you are? Or what you mean to people?
Michael: Yes, they do. They’ve been on tours with me and in limousines among a sea of fans.
Geraldo: Do they like it?
Michael: They find it exciting. They want to get on stage. They bug me to go on stage with me. So, pretty sure I’m going to take them on with me and let the world see them for the first time.
Geraldo: They don’t say, “Daddy I want to go home and watch ‘Nickelodeon’?”
Michael: [laughs] Probably, probably.
Geraldo: They do that too.
Michael: Yes.
Geraldo: So how do you feel being here again, being in a recording studio again, focussing on the music again? Is it a relief, in a sense?
Michael: It’s a great relief. It makes me feel like I’m totally at home. I’m into my own. Which is what I’m here for. Any of the arts… like that could be film, you know, music, any type of art, I love it.
Geraldo: So, when you’re being the quote on quote, ‘King of Pop’, that’s when you’re the most comfortable? Or is it the creative process?
Michael: The creative process, yes. I’m obsessed with creating…
Geraldo: I saw you and Randy, the way you guys react — it’s very reminiscent of the way my brothers and I are together. Who’s top dog?
Michael: Randy.
Geraldo: That’s not what I saw…
Geraldo: But, uh, you trust your family.
Michael: Of course, you have to.
Geraldo: Is it a ‘blood thicker than water’ thing? What is it?
Michael: Family is everything. It’s love. It’s what we were taught. We’re friends at the end of the day, which is important. Other than what the public or press people say, we’re friends. We love each other very much.
Geraldo: So, is the family closely knit, despite all the tabloid stuff?
Michael: That’s sensationalism.
Geraldo: How do you deal with that?
Michael: How do I deal with sensationalism?
Geraldo: Yeah. How do you deal with everything in your life being magnified, exaggerated, almost to a grotesque level.
Michael: It’s like looking at a fictitious movie. Because it’s fiction. It’s like watching science fiction. It’s not true. And I know myself and it’s sad when people have to read those things and they believe it.
Geraldo: Do you feel like holding a press conference every week and saying, this is the rumor du jour, it’s not true?
Michael: I know eventually, the truth will prevail and I’m about truth.
Geraldo: I’ve researched it and I can’t find anyone who has been more frivolously sued than you for the most outrageous reasons. One of your attorneys told me that a woman called ‘Billie Jean Jackson’ called and said, “Stop accepting any paychecks, Mr. Attorney, I’m the wife” — ‘Billie Jean’… obviously from your hit song, I mean, how do you… First of all, how does it affect you?
Michael: Does it affect me? Yes, but I’ve become immune in a way too, I have rhinoceros skin but at the same time I’m human. So, anything can hurt like that, but I’m very strong. And, I just don’t like people hearing about such false information.
Geraldo: For instance, did you father quadruplets last year?
Michael: That was a crazy rumor.
Geraldo: Then they became twins. I don’t know what happened to the other two, maybe they were abducted by aliens.
Michael: I heard about that story and I don’t have any twins. They said I’m hiding them or something? Another made up rumor.
Geraldo: So it’s completely false.
Michael: The bigger the star, the bigger the target. I’m not trying to say I’m the super-duper star, I’m not saying that. I’m saying the fact that people come at celebrities, we’re targets. But truth always prevails. I believe in that. I believe in God, you know?
Geraldo: Does that faith sustain you?
Michael: Of course, it does.
Geraldo: How about friendship?
Michael: What about friendship?
Geraldo: Do you rely on friends? Have people stayed with you through thick and thin? Who are your best friends?
Michael: My children, my family, my brothers and my sisters and yeah, most people have. Most people have.
Geraldo: Do you want to mention the names of the true blue?
Michael: The faithful, you wouldn’t know them so, it’s uh…
Geraldo: Elizabeth Taylor?
Michael: Oh, she’s very loyal, I see Elizabeth Taylor all the time. She’s my dear friend, I was just at her house. We have wonderful talks on the phone at night, several times a week sometimes…
Geraldo: So how long have you two been friends?
Michael: I’ve known Elizabeth closely since I was 16…
Geraldo: And you’ve been making music since you’re five…
Michael: Yes.
Geraldo: So you’re in your fifth decade of making music. That’s forty-one years of making music.
Michael: Yes.
Geraldo: You ever get sick of it?
Michael: No, no, not at all I never get enough of it.
Geraldo: Really. … Do you ever get sick of Randy? [Laughing] He’s here, ladies and gentlemen.
Michael: Never, never, never… he’s wonderful. He’s been amazing, supportive, and amazingly brilliant.
Geraldo: So, they’re all different. Your whole family is crazy, exocentric… like my family.
Michael: Every brother, sister is completely different, like any family, you have all the different elements… that’s what makes it a family.
Geraldo: When you have such intense scrutiny, how do you live any kind of a normal life? How do you have any kind of fun outside of your own property?
Michael: I don’t. I go off property sometimes, but not all the time. I create my world behind the gates you know because I can’t go to the local movie theater down the street or the local park down the street or go pickup ice cream at the market, at the corner store. So, you want to create that world behind the gates and that’s what I try and do. And it’s not just for me if I could share with my family, friends, or whoever I do.
Geraldo: And that necessity for some privacy, drives all these crazy rumors and speculations. A difficult balancing act that you have to endure.
But you’re not complaining are you? I don’t. I try to rub it off. I don’t know what I’m the king of… the king of getting shot at maybe. Ha ha ha ha.
Michael: ‘The king of journalism’.
Geraldo: So, what is it about children in distress? You mentioned the Tsunami relief effort. What is it? Is it your own fatherhood that motivates that?
Michael: Caring. And reading the Bible, learning about God, Jesus, Love. He said, “bring on the children”, “imitate the children”, “be like the children” and “take care of others”. Take care of old people. And we were raised with those values. Those are very important values and my family and I we were raised with those values and they continue strong in us today.
Geraldo: What about movies for yourself again? You had ‘The Wiz’ and some of the others but we haven’t seen you on the big screen in a while.
Michael: I’ll be directing myself. I love directing. I love creativity and I think when an artist steps forward with a production of some type, if he can express himself the way he sees it should be done. I feel it and I see it. I’m a visionary. If I can give that, I do and that’s what I love to do with music and dance and the arts.
Geraldo: And do you think art has a role in real life? Specifically referring to this record and Tsunami relief?
Michael: I saw it the day after Christmas and as the numbers kept escalating, it just became phenomenal and not even I could believe that it was true. I was amazed. I said, I thought I should do something. That’s what God gave us talent for. To give and to help people and to give back. So, my brothers and I decided to put a song together…
Geraldo: What… did you pick up the phone and say, “hey bros?” What did you say?
Michael: We just say, hey, we want to do something in the studio for the Tsunami victims. Let’s get together and organize it. And they just said great.
Geraldo: However, you’re back, I think that people will appreciate the fact that you’re back. Wouldn’t you kind of exalt in a world where you could concentrate on your art and your kids?
Michael: I would love it. I mean that’s what drives me. The medium. The art. That’s the world I’m most comfortable in.
Geraldo: In Gary , Indiana , did you ever expect where your world would be as a 46 year old man?
Michael: I never thought about it. I knew I wanted to do something wonderful all of my life and to help people and I never clearly really thought about it when I was really little. I just sang and danced and didn’t understand whey people were applauding and clapping and screaming. You really don’t. You don’t know why…
Geraldo: When you grow up like that on stage, when do you get it? When do you understand where you fit in to society?
Michael: It takes longer when you get older. You get a more rounded personality and your brain starts to grow. You start reasoning and understanding more things, researching.
Geraldo: Isn’t it nice to have a conversation on television where people can just hear you being ordinary, normal, reasonable.
Michael: I’m like this all the time. I’m just being myself.
Geraldo: At a certain point, Michael Jackson and the brothers Jackson kind of separated artistically, is this a moment in your life where you’re coming back together? Obviously you’ll continue your solo career, but what’s the big plan, what’s the big picture at this stage in your life? What has been left unachieved? What would you like to do?
Michael: There are a lot of surprises. Film. I love film. It’s innovating, taking the medium to a new place. I used the music video medium as a short film medium to take me to the next level. I’m having a lot of fun.
Geraldo: Do you ever look back and contemplate, oh my goodness, ‘Thriller’ is the biggest selling musical performance ever, do you ever get your arms around that?
Michael: I try not to think about it too hard because I don’t want my subconscious mind to think I’ve done it all, you’re done now. That’s why I don’t put awards or trophies in my house. You won’t find a gold record anywhere in my house. Because it makes you feel you’ve accomplished. Look what I’ve done. But I always want to feel, no I haven’t done it yet.
Geraldo: The ‘King of Pop’ and now I look at some of these performers — there’s a new one — there’s ‘50 Cent’ and another one — I forget his name, but they’re well-known because they survived violent attacks where they almost died and they’re into hip hop kind of — it’s a different era in popular music — do you think you’ll be more like them — more urban kind of — or will the world come back to more pop and traditional rock?
Michael: Great music and great melodies are immortal. Culture changes, fashion change, customs, great music is immortal. We still listen to Mozart today, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, any of them, any of the greats. Great music is like a great piece of sculpture, a great painting. It’s forever. That’s a fact.
Geraldo: On the other hand, I interviewed Barbara Streisand at one pivotal point in her career, she was going to do duets with the Bee Gees and other popular artists — she kind of changed the tempo to surprise people.
Michael: I’ve done a lot of it already… I don’t really rap, but I could… I’ve written songs with rap versus in them for very famous rappers, but they’re much better at it than I am.
Geraldo: Don’t you appreciate, despite your isolated life and despite the fact you’ve been a star so long, you still have what appears to be a very passionate and profound relationship with the community. Does that support you? Does that sustain you? Do you agree with me?
Michael: Yes, I do agree, because it’s important to love your neighbors…
Geraldo: But were does it come from… where does that almost instinctive love of you come from?
Michael: I truly think it comes from my mother and God. The way we were raised. The values my father instilled in us in youth. She was always with the Bible teaching us — we’d go to service all the time. Four times a week and I’m so glad we did that because those are values that are very important. I don’t know if I could have done as well without them.
Geraldo: Do you still spend time with mom and dad? They’re not far from here right now? And what is that relationship all about? I’m so close to my mom, obviously.
Michael: It’s wonderful. At this stage, you tend to appreciate more who your parents are more and what they’ve done for you. You start to retrack where you are in your life and all the wonderful things they’ve instilled in you. You start to see them come forth. I’m starting to see a lot of things. Traits that my father influenced me on and my mother.
Geraldo: My friend Cheech, who you know, whose partner Tommy Chong helped discover you guys, ‘Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers’, he says that as he gets older, he looks at his father’s face in the mirror. Do you feel that? Are you becoming like your dad?
Michael: I’m very much like my father in a lot of ways. He’s very strong. He’s a warrior. He’s always taught us to be courageous and to be confident and to believe in our ideals. And no matter what, no star is too far to reach and you never give up. And our mother taught us that as well.
Geraldo: So you’re a warrior also?
Michael: Absolutely.
Geraldo: That’s the way you see yourself? Tell us more about the way you see yourself?
Michael: I try to be kind and generous and to give to people and to do what I think God wants me to do. Sometimes I pray and say “where do you want me to go next, God? What do you want me to do from here?” I’ve always been very spiritual in that way. It’s nothing new.
Geraldo: Did you ever see the movie ‘Finding Neverland’ or read about J. M. Barrie, the man who wrote ‘Peter Pan’.
Michael: I know a lot about Mr. Barrie — well I shouldn’t say ‘a lot’ — I’ve been a fan for many, many, many years.
Geraldo: You know, he had a rocky road, similar to you, I don’t want to get too far into it. Tell us what led to the creation of Neverland. I mean, specifically the place. There are two Neverlands, there’s three. There’s Peter Pan’s Neverland, there’s the Neverland in Michael Jackson’s mind and then there’s the physical place you created up there where I visited you when you brought up all the inner-city children. Why did you create that place?
Michael: I created Neverland as a home for myself and my children and it was created simply, it was almost like it was done subconsciously, like I said earlier, where can I go? I mean, it’s hard. I’ve tried to go out as myself and I’ve had policemen tell me, “Put on a disguise! And give me an autograph for my wife!” They tell me, “Why are you out here with no security?” I can’t do it. I do it sometimes, but it’s very difficult.
Geraldo: But you owned Neverland before you had the kids, was it for you? The exotic animals, were they for Michael Jackson?
Michael: For me and sharing with others. It gave me a chance to do what I couldn’t do when I was little. We couldn’t go to movie theaters. We couldn’t go to Disneyland . We couldn’t do all those fun things. We were on tour. We were working hard. And we did enjoy it. But this allowed me to have a place behind the gates where the entire world I love is there.
Geraldo: You create, like Barrie , this imaginative world, do you ever outgrow something like that Michael? Do you ever think this is silly to have the llamas and the choo-choo trains and the rides?
Michael: It’s calling God silly if you do that, because God made all things great and small. Other men have their Ferraris and their airplanes or helicopters or wherever they find their bliss. My bliss is in giving and sharing and having simple innocent fun.
Geraldo: Your home is… for all the grandeur of Neverland. Your home is quite modest. And your personal style. I don’t see any bling for instance. How come you don’t have the big diamond thing that says “Michael”?
Michael: I’m modest in that way. If I had it on, I would probably give it away to the first kid to say, “Wow, I like your necklace”. When I was growing up, stars like Sammy Davis, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly… if I admired something they were wearing… if I simply said, “I love that shirt you’re wearing”, they would give it to me. It’s a show business trait. Hand it over.
Geraldo: Despite the glare of the media attention and even the day that I was there and you invited the inner-city kids there, what’s it like to have the kids there? Why do you do that? I wanted to ask you that question that day but I pose it to you know.
Michael: I’ve traveled the world over eight times. I do as many hospitals and orphanages as I do concerts. But, of course, it’s not covered. That’s not why I do it, for coverage. I do it because it’s from my heart. And there are so many children in the city who haven’t seen the mountains, who haven’t been on a carousel, who haven’t pet a horse or a llama, never seen them, so if I can open my gates and see that bliss, an explosion of screaming laughter from the children and they run on the rides, I say “Thank you, God.” I feel I’ve won God’s smile of approval, because I’m doing something that brings joy and happiness to other people.
Geraldo: So, you’re close to your siblings? How does it affect you when they get involved — like Janet’s superbowl flap? Just tell me how you responded as a brother and a viewer?
Michael: Oh, I can’t speak for my sister. With love. Actually, I was looking right at it and I didn’t see it. I was at a friend of mine’s house, Ron Burkle and in a movie theater, it was huge on the screen and I didn’t even see it. I heard all this controversy the next day and I said, “That’s not true.” I didn’t even see it.
Geraldo: Do you think the controversy was overblown? Do you think it’s a Jackson related phenomena or is it a testament to our times socially in this country?
Michael: That’s an interesting hypothesis, too. It’s both. It’s hard to answer. I’d rather not answer that one.
Geraldo: Did you call her and say “don’t sweat the small stuff?”
Michael: Something like that. “Be strong. This, too, shall pass.” “Don’t worry about it. I’ve seen worse things.” I said, “Janet, you’re too young to remember but, I once watched the Oscars with David Niven on it and a naked man came running out, streaking. Now, he didn’t get there on his own. That was organized and nobody… they didn’t say much about that.” I’ll just say that much. That was live, around the world. The next day it was a joke.
Geraldo: I think there is a Jackson component.
Michael: You can say it.
Geraldo: I think the thing was exaggerated. I think the Jackson thing was part of the reason.
Michael: Thank you.
Geraldo: So as you go forward in this record, what are we going to expect? Are we going to hear this on the radio and then people are going to send in their money and it’s going to go to these kids in the Indian Ocean region?
Michael: I would like that very much.
Geraldo: Now tell me, how that act of largesse, that compassion, will make you feel? Sometimes, I think, I feel better giving than receiving in my life, explain the mechanics of that in your own life.
Michael: It’s just the idea. I don’t know if it’s the psychology of it or what. I just love working hard on something. Putting it together. Sweating over it and then sharing it with people and then having them love it and I always pray that they like it. That’s what gives me great satisfaction as an artist.
Geraldo: Does it frustrate you professionally or personally when people say that this Jackson project flopped or that happened. Your ‘Number Ones’ compilation for instance, seven and a half million copies sold. Now I think that’s quadruple platinum or whatever it is you label it. And yet the characterization by some in the music business at least is that you’re not — you know, that it wasn’t a hit.
Michael: I don’t know which project you’re talking about… because of negative news. Sensationalism seems to sell more than wonderful, positive news. People would rather hear gossip. My last eight albums have all entered the charts at number one, so people like to sensationalize things and make up stories and rumors and sometimes…
Geraldo: Does it hurt your feelings? Do you want to scream out and say, “Hey wait a minute, check the numbers!”
Michael: It’s a commonality in mankind that I don’t like. That part of it, but then there’s a beautiful side to mankind too, isn’t there?
Geraldo: But not to Eminem. We’ve spoken about it. I think that you should. Why not?
Michael: And what’s your question?
Geraldo: Stevie Wonder said that he was piling on and how really rude it was for someone who made his money from the community to diss the community in a sense in a racist and, I’ve said it, very bold faced, bigoted presentation. Tell us how that hurt you and how you’re feeling about it now.
Michael: I’ve never met Mr. Eminem, and I’ve always admired him and to have him do something like that was pretty painful as an artist to another artist and it’s sad because I think what Stevie Wonder said is true, I just don’t want to say too much more than that. He should be ashamed of himself what he’s doing. Stevie said he’s bullshit. He used the word. That’s what he said. I’m not saying it, Stevie said it. Stevie’s amazing. He’s one of the sweetest men in the world.
Geraldo: Stevie did and he is bullshit. So, when Stevie said that, did you feel a tremendous sense of reassurance, of brotherly love, there?
Michael: I love Stevie Wonder. To me, he’s a musical prophet. I’ll always love him. A lot of people respect Stevie and he’s a very strong entity in this medium, in this business and when he speaks, people listen and it was wrong of Eminem to do what he did. I’ve been an artist most of my life and I’ve never attacked a fellow artist. Great artists don’t do that. You don’t have to do that.
Geraldo: I mentioned Janet’s fiasco and the exaggerated response to it. Once again do you think he only did it because he knew he could get away with it because you’re Michael Jackson?
Michael: Yeah, but it doesn’t hurt. It’s silly. It’s kind of elementary. I hope he’s having fun…
Geraldo: Like a poo-poo joke. It still hurts your feelings and you don’t want your kids to see it.
Michael: Oh god, I would hate it if they saw it. I would hate that!
Geraldo: Finally, we’ve studiously avoided the case and not talked at all about the case that’s pending. You’re under this gag order. I know that you have received permission from the judge to read a statement. I hate to end an interview that way, but if you’d like to read that statement now, I think it’s important.
Michael: In the last two weeks, a large amount of ugly, malicious information has been released into the media about me. Apparently, this information was leaked through transcripts in a Grand Jury proceeding where neither my lawyers nor I ever appeared. The information is disgusting and false.
Years ago, I allowed a family to visit and spend time at Neverland. Neverland is my home. I allowed this family into my home because they told me their son was ill with cancer and needed my help.
Through the years, I have helped thousands of children who were ill or in distress.
These events have caused a nightmare for my family, my children and me. I never intend to place myself in so vulnerable a position again.
I love my community and I have great faith in our justice system. Please keep an open mind and let me have my day in court. I deserve a fair trial like every other American citizen. I will be acquitted and vindicated when the truth is told.
Geraldo: Michael is there anything else you would like to say?
Michael: No… yes. I would just like for the public to keep my family and myself in their prayers. That would be very nice. Thank you, Geraldo.
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